Newbie, starting the journey

[fneal]

Hi. Well here I am . For the first time in a long while I can see a light at the end of the tunnel.
I am a 45 y.o woman, and I have experienced many ongoing health issues since I was a child including
Acute gallbladder pain from age 9 to 26 ( it was removed then)
Recurring iritis
Joint pain
TMJ acute episode lasting 5 weeks
2 episodes of Shingles and regular post shingles neuralgia
Hashimoto's thyroiditis
Severe fatigue
And the latest a relentless irritable bladder.. Ongoing for the last 5 months !!
Yesterday I lost it..couldn't go on the lowest I had been in a long while. 5 months of almost 24 hour a day pain, inability to sleep to concentrate, to paint ( I am an artist) to connect with my kids. I went home to fall apart. I logged on to the Internet and put in a search about not coping. This site came up. I read all I could and began to wonder...
I woke up today with hope, I taught a class and played with my kids. I read the first two chapters of 'healing back pain'
The ironic thing is that I teach others to connect with themselves through the process of spontaneous painting..guess I need to work on myself more!
I am excited and scared, but eager to see where this takes me. I have felt broken for a long time. Can't wait to fell better!

 

[Andy Bayliss]

Hi Fneal,

Welcome to this wonderful community. Like most of us here, you have been going through a lot of hell. I found Dr. Sarno's work and this was what saved me. Have faith and engage these free programs, if you like.

http://www.tmswiki.org/ppd/TMS_Recovery_Program

http://www.tmswiki.org/ppd/Structured_Educational_Program

The ironic thing is that I teach others to connect with themselves through the process of spontaneous painting..guess I need to work on myself more!

This is such a wonderful insight. For most people there is a deepening of experience and knowledge of the inner life. For me, I already was very aware of my inner world, but I needed to connect the activity of the Superego and Inner Child to Dr. Sarno's theories. And then begin to watch for exceptions to the pain patterns, and use self-talk. Each person finds their own way. My advice is be patient, and observe how your personality traits may act out pressures on you around your implementation of Dr. Sarno's work. Be gentle, be persistent, be steadfast, be patient.

Andy B.

 

[fneal]

Thank you for your reply Andy B, and for your stellar advice
When I list all the 'ailments' I have had over the years it sounds ridiculous really! I have always suspected that some of my issues have been attributed to my emotions, but because I functioned ok in between, and could hide it well when I had to , I guess I just accepted that was the way it was. I was ok(ish) in between and got by. This latest bladder issue though is 24 hours a day, and in it's intensity one of two things was going to happen. Go under or fight. Thanks to my accidental stumbling onto this wiki, and seeing so much I recognized in Dr Sarno's theories, . I have chosen the latter. I intend to reclaim my quality of life! Watch this space

 

[Walt Oleksy (RIP 2021)]

Hi, fneal. I'm so glad you posted and discovered this web site and Dr. Sarno and his book.

The Structured Educational Program helped me heal from severe back pain and TMS knowledge has helped thousands of others.
You have hope now. Keep it strong.

Believe 100 percent that your pains are from TMS repressed emotions
and/or a perfectionist-goodist personality. Then the healing comes.

And live in the present, not the past. You can live in the future if you believe it's going to be pain-free and wonderful.

 

[fneal]

Thanks Walt for your support. I am very glad to have found this page and can see the forums are going to be very helpful to me.
Working on being patient and compassionate , and focussing on that light at the end of the tunnel.

 

[Walt Oleksy (RIP 2021)]

Hi again, fneal.

I am a strong believer in yoga deep breathing. If I'm stressed about anything it always gives me relief.
It also is working great when I have trouble getting asleep.

Here is a web site about deep breathing. Do the 4-7-8 or any variation that works for you.
Deep breathing is profoundly relaxing.


The 4-7-8 breathing technique was pioneered Dr. Andrew Weill from Arizona, who describes the yoga-inspired method as “utterly simple, takes almost no time, requires no equipment and can be done anywhere.”

Dr.Weill claims that 4-7-8 breathing can help people fall asleep in just 60 seconds by acting as a “natural tranquiliser for the nervous system” that reduces stress and tension in the body.

1. Before you begin, place the tip of your tongue on the roof of your mouth just above your teeth and keep it there throughout the exercise.

2. Exhale completely through your mouth quite forcefully so you make a “whoosh” sound.

3. Close your mouth and inhale quietly and softly through your nose for a mental count of four.

4. Hold your breath and count to seven.

5. Next, exhale completely through your mouth, making another whoosh sound for eight seconds in one large breath.

6. Now inhale again and repeat the cycle three times for a total of four breaths.

I find it easier to go to sleep if I do this four times, then do it again another few times but exhale through my nose
instead of my mouth.